Meet Leanne Walker, who is based at Neath Port Talbot’s Menter Iaith.
Read on to discover more about Menter Iaith and why Leanne is so passionate about the area and the Welsh language:
“Here at Menter Iaith, we offer a variety of activities for schools, Welsh learners and Welsh speakers. One of our main priorities is to encourage young people to keep up with their Welsh after they leave school, so we run regular youth clubs and we’ve set up a Youth Hub. We also arrange activities for learners, so you don’t need to be fluent in Welsh to take advantage of our services.
“We’re very active in the local community, with daily coffee mornings all across Neath Port Talbot, as well as evening sessions for those who have commitments during the day. We often organise gigs in the area as well, because there’s nothing better than the Welsh language being woven into a song – it just sounds magical!
“I strongly believe that Welsh isn’t just a language for the classroom that then gets neglected when you leave school; it’s a celebration of our culture, heritage, and national identity, and should be used more in social settings. This is one of the key drivers of Menter Iaith, to encourage people to either learn the language or pick it back up and become more confident using it in their day-to-day life.
“I’m so proud to have had the opportunity to learn Welsh at school, and I still use it every day, so I’m incredibly passionate about giving Welsh speakers their confidence back.
“Just by being in the community every day, I know that the people of Neath Port Talbot are very proud to call this place home. They don’t need to be told why they should be proud – they just are. Who wouldn’t be when you think about all of the fantastic scenery and heritage on our doorstep?
“The Welsh community within Neath Port Talbot welcomes everyone with open arms, and Menter Iaith is the same way.”